| DEVOTIONAL BIBLE STUDY - HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE |
| It�s not enough to just go to church on Sunday. God is looking for a �personal relationship� with you through bible study where you can fellowship with Him and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you many things to become overcomers. That�s the type of thing God, the Holy Spirit wants to share with you about Jesus. Below are some truths you will learn from the Word of God and we are going to teach you about each one as a starting point for your bible study: � You are accepted in the beloved � You have been delivered � You are forgiven � You are not judged for your sins after you become a Christian � There�s a plan and a purpose for your life � You have been �recreated� (a new creature) when you gave your life to Jesus Christ � God has personal gifts for His children � There are three Baptisms. You need all 3 ! � You now have �authority� over sin, the devil and his demons. � You have �authority� over sickness & diseases � You do not have to die until you are ready � You can now be told a closely guarded secret, hidden for many generations � You have 2 new suits of clothing � You can now go straight into the presence of God as though you had never ever sinned � You & your possessions are protected by the Blood of Jesus � You are an HEIR of Almighty God and a joint-heir with Jesus � You can live a life without fear or intimidation of ANYTHING. � You can live a brand new life by the everyday words you speak � You don�t win God�s approval by working for Him � You will learn that Praising God causes depression to leave � You will learn that prayer changes circumstances and you � You will learn that there is more than one type of prayer and different prayers get different answers � You need to �feed� your spirit the same way you feed you body � You will learn how to have a whole new way of thinking � You will learn that every promise in the bible is for YOU � That God wants to know every single detail of your life � That you were healed on Calvary (body, soul and spirit) � That God knows every obstacle in your life and wants to help you through it. � That you have the same nature and character of God � That you have the same �mind� as Jesus Jesus said �I stand at the door and knock and you answered, and Jesus said �now, come and sup with me� (Revelation 3:20). What an awesome invitation, Jesus himself inviting us to His table and to eat with Him, to eat of His Word and be satisfied. His words are peace and love like the following scripture says �Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light� (Matthew 11:28-30). The Bible contains 66 books and was written over a period of 1600 years. Although the bible was written by 40 different men over that period of time, it was all inspired by one person � The Holy Spirit. The scriptures are God-breathed, 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. The Bible is progressive revelation from God to us. There is a unity of thought through the whole bible because it was written under the direction of the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 tells us that � knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The books of the bible contain exactly what God wanted written. The Old Testament (we will use OT from here on) contains 39 books � it was originally written in Hebrew and some Aramaic. The word �testament� means �Covenant� or �agreement�. The OT is a covenant of law, which consisted of the ten commandments and numerous rules and regulations. It was an agreement or covenant that God made with man about their salvation before Jesus Christ came. From Genesis Chapter 1 to 11 is the story of the history of the human race. From Genesis 11 to Malachi (the last book in the OT) is the story of the history of the Jews. God chose a people called the children of Israel (or Jews) to reveal Himself, to prepare a family for the Messiah and to preserve a record of Himself. The New Testament (we will use NT from here on) contains 27 books or �letters� (which includes the 4 Gospels). It was originally written in Greek. The NT or �covenant� is the agreement that God made with man about his salvation after Jesus Christ came. It is a covenant of �GRACE� (or a dispensation of time) which came through Jesus Christ Himself. The OT leads into the NT. Galatians 3:24-25 tells us that now the law of Moses was ended and a new time or dispensation began. The NT took its final form in the 3rd century. The early church fathers had to decide which books and letters were �inspired (God-breathed) and which were not. There were many manuscripts available and they had to rely on the Holy Spirit to make sure they had only what God wanted for the NT and what God wanted for His people today. There are differences in the Roman Catholic church and the Protestant church. Both have the same NT � however the catholic church accepted 7 extra books. These 7 books form part of a group of books called the �apocrypha�. These books were all written between 200 B.C. and 100 A.D. They were written by the Jews to encourage their people during a time of great turmoil. These books are widely accepted as historical rather than inspired. There are several reasons why protestants did not accept them: (i) The writers themselves did not claim to be inspired by God directly. (ii) Jesus never quoted from the apocrypha nor did any of the apostles or writers of the New Testament. (iii) One of the books talks about praying to and for the dead which is contrary to Deuteronomy 18 Some bible trivia: It takes approximately 80 hours to read from Genesis to Revelation The middle verse of the Bible is Psalm 118:8 The shortest verse (NT) is John 11:35 The middle book of the OT is Proverbs The middle book of the NT is 2 Thessalonians The longest book of the OT is Psalms The longest books of the NT is Luke The 1st English translation was in A.D. 1388 The NT is hidden in the OT The OT is in the NT explained. At this point you may not know where things are in the bible but don�t worry, we will endeavor to give you as many scriptures as possible to start and then you�ll be able to follow on your own as you become familiar with them. You may have come out of a home or a situation where you were rejected, neglected, ignored or unloved, but God wants you to know that you are: � accepted in the beloved�. This scripture comes from the NT in Ephesians 1:6. If you are still unsure that you are loved or accepted or if you feel unworthy, first let me say that God loves you. The Bible says that God so loved the world that He sent His Son Jesus to die for you. There is a story in Luke 15 about the prodigal son who took his inheritance, left home, squandered his money, got into a lot of misery and unhappiness, ended up in a pig pen starving and dirty and after he was penniless and destitute, decided to return home. His father, when he saw him way down the road ran to him and put a robe on his shoulders and a ring on his finger and received him to himself as if he had never left home. That�s how it is with God. He loves you unconditionally. There is a scripture in John 8:32 that says ��and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free�. As well in 2 Corinthians 3:17 �now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (freedom). � You have been delivered God wants you to know that you are free from all things that had you bound before you came to Him. In Colossians 1:13 it says that �you have been delivered. That means that when Jesus hung on the Cross, all your hurts, your pains, your insecurities, your depressions, your sorrows and your sickness were placed on Jesus. You are a �new person� because of Jesus� shedding of blood and His death. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says � Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new. New Christians are usually told they carry �baggage� with them from their past lives (the life before Jesus came into your life). That is why you need to realize that the old �you� is just that, �old�. You are a new creation right now, today. You are now part of a new body � the body of believers (Christians). He made you worthy. God favors you. God says you are �sons of God�. He calls us sons and not daughters because in the spirit realm there is no division of gender, we are one in Jesus Christ. Our spirits are have no gender. 1 John 3:1 says that �Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not� Back in the OT Moses asked God to show him his glory and God did (Exodus 33:18). Today the glory of God is in you and upon you. How do we know this? Colossians 1:17 says that �Christ is in you�. It also says that it is the great mystery hidden for generations � Jesus Christ, the Son of God, living in you (hidden in you) waiting for his glory to be revealed in you as you seek Him � that�s the key (as you seek him). Matthew 6:33 says �But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.� Now that�s an awesome promise straight from the lips of Jesus. You may ask how you seek God�s kingdom? Romans 14:17 tells us ��For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. This all comes from relationship with Him. In the OT, the book of Jeremiah 33:3 ��call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not.� {mighty: or, hidden} God is waiting for you to call on him right now. My prayer for you today: May God be with you today and everyday as you seek him for yourself and may he give you peace and joy in every area of your life. As you continue to study His Word through this Bible teaching, may you be enlightened with His love and His wisdom. A prayer you may want to pray today: Heavenly Father I thank you that I have you living in me. I thank you for what you did for me on that cross at Calvary. I thank you that I now know the truth of why you died, that I can have a personal relationship with you and that I have eternal life.. I thank you father that you have freed me from all the baggage and hurts of my past life and I ask that you help me walk out my new life with you by the power of your Holy Spirit. I thank you Holy Spirit that you will teach me your word everyday as I seek you diligently. Amen. A scripture for today to meditate on today: Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline your ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. This is God�s promise to you today from His Word. Let�s talk about the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that �� the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. This is what God says about His Word. (Isaiah 55:11) So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Also 2 Tim. 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Lets take this scripture in 2 Timothy and examine it. (a) We need to understand why we believe what we believe (or) What is truth? (Jesus is truth) John 14:6 Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (b) Why reproof or (rebuke)? It keeps us on the right track, Psalm 119:11 ��Your word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against you.) (c) Why Correction? Correction is knowing how to take what is wrong and make it truth. (Prov 6:23 ��For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:) (d) What about �Training in Righteousness�. To live �righteously� is to live according to the Word of God and walk in His ways. When we are trained or instructed in this way, then we will be equipped to help others. God corrects and disciplines us through His Word. This correction is for our own good. We cannot grow and mature without correction. The scripture in John 12:24 explains it well. ��verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit.� We too must �die� to ourselves according to Galatians 2:20 �� I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. If we are �dead�, then dead people do not react to offenses or hurts hurled at us because as we mature we understand how the word of God tells us to live. What did Jesus say about the Word and what did He �do� with it? Jesus used the �Word� to defeat the devil in the wilderness right after He was baptised and started His ministry. Matt 4:1-11 (read). As a matter of fact, Jesus quoted from 22 OT books. These quotes are in Matt 19, Mark 15, Luke 25 and John 11. D.L. Moody (one of the great evangelists of the 19th century) said that Jesus Christ quotes the very passages that are most avoided by bible critics. They are: The Flood, Lot, manna, brazen serpent and Jonah. What are we instructed to �do� with the Word? Col. 3:16 tells us to �let the Word dwell richly in you� and 2 Tim 2:15 tells us that we are �called to study the Word diligently� Psalm 119:11 �Your Word I have treasured (hid) in my heart that I may not sin against you�. Joshua 1:8 �This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.� The word �Meditate� in Webster�s Dictionary means to: reflect, ponder, consider, dwell in thought, utter, mutter, speak, imagine, study. When you meditate in the Word of God, it provides nourishment for our inner man, just as food provides nourishment for our body. The Word of God (Hebrews 4:12) causes a supernatural happening (a maturity) in your spirit. What can we expect from the Word? (a) Eternal Life � Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (b) A �renewed� mind � Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (c) Protection from the enemy � Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (d) Healing & Health � Proverbs. 3:8 It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones. (e) Spiritual food � Matthew 4:4 It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. (�and much more) Now we see that God�s Word is our instruction book on how to live in this life abundantly and fully equipped. (John 10:10 � The thief comes to steal, to kill and to destroy, but I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.) The same Holy Spirit who inspired the scriptures is living on the inside of us. The author of God�s Word �dwells� in us. Our bodies are the �temple of the Holy Spirit� (1 Corinthians 6:19). John 20:30-31 �and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name. There are �practical� ways to study the Bible and to put the Word of God to work in your life. Devotional Bible Study � Be consistent A. Have a set time daily for Bible study B. Start with one book � e.g. John C. Get some background information the book or �letter� (epistle) � who wrote it? � when? � to whom? � what was the purpose of this book? D. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what you are reading. Expect to hear from God through the scripture. Have a notebook handy. E. Read one chapter through, then go back and read it again � slowly and ask yourself � What did I learn? � How does it apply to me? � What is the key verse? � Any questions? � Did any verse come alive to me? � Is there a promise here for me? Bible Helps: Concordance (Strong�s) Commentary�s (e.g. Haleys or Matthew Henry Bible Dictionary � Vines, Gesenius, Thayers Memorize Scripture Pray Meditate � Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. |
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